


A Mute Friendship

by Leonard_Snart_Robber_of_ATMs



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Alien Technology, Blood, Body Modification, Bullying, Child Abandonment, F/M, Fights, Friendship, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Mild Language, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Robotics, Techno-organic - Freeform, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, Violence, consensual body modification
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-02-12 00:30:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12947397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leonard_Snart_Robber_of_ATMs/pseuds/Leonard_Snart_Robber_of_ATMs
Summary: A mute boy finds out about the Cybertronian race and befriends Soundwave, who was once also mute and deaf. Soundwave finds out the boy is Techno-Organic, and uses that to upgrade his body. The autobots "rescue" the boy, who is quickly changing due to his sire's faction, slightly torn between the two factions. But then their friendship is discovered...





	1. Strange Sights

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: This is an older story I wrote a long time ago. Actually one of my first transformer ones.
> 
> I just wanna say that I KNOW there are a LOT of issues with this story, things that don't make sense and whatnot, but I'm hoping to correct that in a future revamp soon!

Orion Tegan Crodly made his way out of the high school, avoiding large groups of kids and keeping an eye out for Vince, the school bully.

 

He had been named Orion by his single mother, who thought a unique name would make him more self-confident. She was wrong. No one knew he real name, as he always told others that his name was Tegan.

 

"Tegan! Tegan, wait!"

 

Tegan didn't hear his name being called for one simple fact... he was mute and deaf. His eye sight was terrible.

 

The boy felt someone grab his shoulder and spun around, fear assaulting him with images of Vince and some of the bigger boys ready to tease him. Instead, he found Jack Darby, who held up his hands as he spoke.

 

Tegan could lip read, and he also understood sign language, but had forced himself to learn how to lip read since not many people could use sign language.

 

"Hey, Tegan." Jack said, smiling at him. "I was wondering if you wanted to come and play some video games with Raf and I."

 

Tegan shook his head silently. He didn't trust anyone to not make fun of him when they weren't near teachers or others. He was able to make out the blurry figure of Vince approaching and shook his head more rapidly, turning and running away from the two boys.

 

_Jack POV:_

Jack's shoulders slumped. He felt sorry for the new boy. He had no idea what it would be like to not be able to speak, hear and barely see. Tegan's arrival had averted Vince's attention from himself to the little special needs boy.

 

"That's right! You run you little freak!" Vince shouted after the black haired boy.

 

Jack turned around to face the bully. "Maybe you should leave Tegan alone, Vince." He said, anger lightly raining his tone.

 

Vince looked at him and laughed. "Why would I do that, geek?" He demanded haughtily, turning to look after the kid. "Maybe I'll see if I can have a friendly conversation with him. Oh, yeah, he can't even hear!"

 

Jack glared after the orange haired boy as he walked off, and for a moment, he wished Optimus Prime had allowed the kid to be taken by the decepticons.

 

He sighed as Miko and Raf arrived.

 

"Hey Jack!" Miko greeted him enthusiastically. "Still gonna play try to beat me?" She asked, pointing her finger closely to his face.

 

"I don't know, Miko. Vince was after Tegan again." Jack answered, staring at the place where the boy had disappeared, something the new kid was adapt at doing.

 

"Poor Tegan." Raf shook his head sympathetically, knowing all too well how cruel Vince could be.

 

"Well then, why don't we go after him?" Miko asked, excited. "It'd be fun to try to find him!"

 

Jack looked over his shoulder at the place where Arcee would be any moment.

 

"Aw, come on, Jack!" Miko appeared in front of him. "Don't you want to help him?"

 

Jack sighed. "Fine. But we have to leave him alone if he doesn't want us around." He answered, Miko jumping in the air. "Yes! Come on! He's already got a head start!"

 

Sighing again at the never ending energy of the young asian girl, Jack ran after her in an attempt to catch up.

 

_Tegan's POV_

Tegan made his way down the back streets of the small town, trying to make his way to his grandmother's home without unwanted attention or detection by Vince and his gang.

 

He liked the back streets a lot because of how quiet they were... less chance of being hit by a car because you're a near-blind freak, right?

 

Tegan brushed the black hair out of his strange purple eyes that had begun to tear up. Sniffing, he used the sleeve of his black shirt to wipe away the sign of weakness as he stepped out into another alley... without looking.

 

Out of nowhere, a dark purple car squealed around the corner, striking him in the left side. Tegan had seen the blurred purple shape and jumped, but still struck the windshield painfully, rolling over the top of the car to fall off the back, winded and bruised. He had a slight suspicion that he had cracked a rib, or broken an arm.

 

Regardless of the pain, Tegan was still unable to make any noise to express it, rolling up onto one arm to stare at the car, that had stopped a few meters away.

 

Fear crushed the boy's emotionally distraught soul as the car began to shift and twist into a large humanoid robot.

 

Tegan stared up in fear at the tall robot, but the fear began to fade. His cursed eyesight was messing with him again... It couldn't be a ...

 

Movement in the corner of his eye caused the boy to turn, making out the blurry form of Jack Darby, Miko and Rafael, the only three kids that ever said hi to him.

 

Their mouths were moving rapidly as they shouted at him, pointing at the large robotic humanoid, thingy.

 

Looking back up at it, Tegan saw a bright pink light getting brighter. Squinting he realized it was some sort of gun. And it was aimed right for him...


	2. Cybertronians

Tegan stared at the charging gun before throwing his arms over his head, clenching his eyes shut as he waited for the shot to come, decimating him... turning him into nothing else besides another blotch on the pavement.

 

A rush of air passed over the downed boy, and he opened his eyes to stare in shock at a large green humanoid robot... thing! It was followed by a slim blue and pink one, then a yellow and black one.

 

Scrabbling backward, Tegan rolled onto his hands and knees before jumping up onto his feet, running down an alley. He spared only one glance back at the fight. Another purple robot similar to the one that had first attacked him, had joined the fight.

 

Fear rose in the boy's heart as he ran away, leaving his backpack behind. He considered the wisdom of this move, as all his technological tools, and, less importantly, his homework, still resided in the bag.

 

Tegan decided that it wasn't important, and poured all of his fear and strength into his legs, pushing onward toward his grandmother's home. With that home, hopefully came safety.

 

Slamming the door open, Tegan ran into the house, shutting it loudly as he leaned against it, breathing hard as his grandmother rounded the corner.

 

Tegan looked up at his grandmother and the worry rising to the surface of her deep blue eyes. "Tegan? What's wrong?" She asked, hurrying over to kneel on the ground before him, ignoring the pain in her arthritic joints, concerned with only finding out what had happened to her grandson.

 

Tears welling up in his eyes, Tegan looked down at the ground, his grandmother folding him in a comforting embrace.

 

"Oh, Tegan. Was it them again?" The older woman looked at him, concern and pain in her eyes as he nodded slowly, not wanting to reveal the truth to her. He was enough of a freak as it was. "I'm so sorry, Tegan." She shook his head sadly as she pulled him close again. "Are you hungry?" She asked, trying to distract him.

 

Shaking his head, Tegan walked away from her embrace and up the stairs, leaving her at the bottom of the stairs, brows furrowed with worry.

 

Once in his room, Tegan sat on his bed, thinking through the situation.  _There are large, robotic... things. Alive cars._  The thoughts rushed through his mind as he began calculating this problem. He always thought before doing anything.

 

Laying back on the bed, Tegan looked up at the ceiling above him, then around the room. It was decorated with posters of atoms and technological stuff, the bedspread was the periodic table, and there were a number of different computers that he loved to work with. And, it was small. Smaller than the one he had used when his mother had been alive.

 

 _There's something weird about this._  Tegan thought as he rolled to his feet and moved over to the computers.

 

While he waited for them to finish their start up, Tegan paced the room, finally settling in his chair to log into each.

 

 _If these things really exist, someone must've seen them._  He thought as began searching for anything that may have some resemblance to a robotic, humanoid... thing.

 

Tegan leaned back in his seat, furrowing his eyebrows at the screen. He was too far away to make anything out of it, but then, he was always too far away unless he had his face almost pressed to the screen. Hours of searching had turned up nothing. Nothing that might even resemble what he had witnessed earlier.

 

 _This could just be my imagination._  Tegan thought inwardly, tapping his lower lip with a finger as he considered this option.  _No. Because then I would still have my backpack... Unless._  Tegan turned his seat toward the window, getting up and moving to stand before it.  _Unless this was a trick...Played by Jack, Miko and Raf._

 

Straightening up, Tegan considered this option again, more carefully.  _That could be a possibility. Vince might even be in on it!_  Shaking his head in silent frustration, he felt tears sting his eyes.  _I had never thought that Jack might do such a thing. Miko might, but without realizing that it was cruel... Raf. No, Raf was the one that got bullied too... unless Vince promised not to tease him if he helped._

 

Tegan shook his head and climbed atop his bed, pressing his face into his pillow for a moment before turning it in order to be able to see the larger section of the room. Due to his being blind, deaf and mute, he never liked leaving whatever eyesight he could use unused. He liked to know what was around him. When he may be in imminent danger...


	3. Soundwave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N: Cape Magician: Tegan is going blind, but is not yet. Just imagine a kid that REALLY needs glasses. Thanks again to you all! <3)

Soundwave stood a ways from the boy's home... the boy that hadn't seemed... normal. That is, in human standards.

 

The large silent mech had watched the young boy sit at his computer and start searching for information on Cybertronians. Although he didn't know what they were called.

 

Soundwave assumed that the boy wasn't really sure of what he had seen, but the navy mech knew that the Autobots would get involved with the boy. They always did.

 

Watching silently, Soundwave went through his databanks searching for information on earth's social websites. He found nothing, so expanded to official documentations, finding a birth certificate and home address.

 

The home address was under the name of Cellia Crodly, who was eighty years old in earth standards, and the grandmother of the boy. The mother, Julia, had offlined in an accident several years ago, the father was unknown.

 

Soundwave felt a slight sense of surprise when he found the boy's name. Orion Tegan Crodly. Orion was the original name of the Prime, and he found it curious that a human boy would bear the same name as an alien life form from another planet.

 

Turning his attention back to the boy, the tall mech watched as the child moved to his desk, feeling around for something. He felt pity. He had found medical records, and now knew that the boy was deaf, mute and nearly blind. It...  _Tegan_  would become permanently blind if he didn't get eyewear, which his grandmother couldn't afford.

 

The boy was similar to himself, Soundwave realized, saddened as memories of his past assaulted him. Of his mute, deaf and blind self being abandoned, then sold into slavery. The pain and bullying, the fear. But then, the memory of him constructing his visor came to him. That had changed his life for the better.

 

Having an idea, Soundwave tapped into the home's WiFi and began to put a plan into action.

 

Tegan felt for the pad and pencil he had left on his desk the other day, and accidentally knocked the pen down the back of it.

 

Sighing in frustration and annoyance, Tegan got onto his hands and knees, searching for it when a bright light flashed from his computer, startling him to the point where he jerked upwards and hit his head on the desk.

 

 _Ow!_  Tegan growled inwardly, rubbing the spot as he looked towards it. He had put together the console himself, and had made it so that, whenever a message or notification came in for him, it would flash bright, different coloured lights to get his attention. It flashed again now, red.

 

Getting slowly to his feet, Tegan made his way over to the screen, coming in close until he could read the words:  _You've been hacked._

 

 _WHAT?!_  Tegan's mind screeched.  _This is the strongest firewall I have!.. Had._  He thought as he watched in a mixture of awe and shock as the screen changed to a blank white, a small text box at the bottom.

 

_Hello, Tegan._

 

Tegan's heart choked him as he stared at the words, fear filling him as he watched more words appear.

 

_I am Soundwave._

 

Swallowing hard, Tegan placed his hands on the keyboard, and, having memorized where each key was, and began typing an answer.  _Who is this?_

 

 _I am Soundwave._  The other person responded.

 

Tegan began to tremble as he watched words, rapidly typed, appearing on his screen.

 

 _I am a Cybertronian from Cybertron. I am similar to the purple..._  The other person stopped typing as it seemed to think of the word. Without thinking, Tegan typed it for him.  _Robot?_

 

_Yes. The robot. But you needn't worry. I shall not hurt you._

 

Afraid and disoriented, Tegan sat down slowly.  _I created this firewall. How did you get into it?_  He asked.

 

 _I hacked. Like you've done many times in your life._  The creature... robot... Cybertronian, answered.

 

Tegan thought this over. It was too incredible. It had to be another prank. One people couldn't complete without... Rafael! Angered, the boy began to type again.  _Is this some kind of prank? Like the robot was? This is Rafael, isn't it? Get out of my system!_

 

 _No, Orion. This is not Rafael._  The robot answered.

 

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. No one knew his real name. At least, not his first name.  _What do you want?_  Tegan asked, totally frightened now.

 

 _Do not be alarmed, Orion._  The Cybertronian, if he was correct, responded.  _As I said before, I would not harm you. We are very alike._

 

Tegan, afraid, disoriented and confused, thought about the last statement.  _'I am similar to a robot from a different planet?'_  He asked himself.  _'That isn't even possible.'_

 

The thing began typing again, and Tegan leaned in close, squinting until he could somewhat read the message.

 

_I am here to warn you of_

 

Great, now his fear had increased ten-fold. Tegan swallowed hard as he watched the message continue.

 

_There are two factions of Cybertronians. Because you have seen one of us, the Autobots will try to get you. You must not allow this._

 

Cold with sweat, Tegan reached out his hands and began to type what he was thinking.  _How can I tell who's who?_  He asked.

 

_The Autobots will most likely send their scout... or the femme. Stay away from the three humans. Rafael, Jack and Miko. They're in league with them. As for the Autobots. A yellow and black camero, blue motorcycle, orange and white ambulance, red and white semi-truck, green jeep, or a white race car with 38's on the doors are them. Stay away from them, Orion. They are dangerous._

 

Fear clutched in the boy's heart, as well as anger.  _'So Jack, Raf and Miko were in on it!'_  The anger swelled.  _Where are you?_  He typed.  _How do I know you're real, and not a dream?_

 

There was a long pause, and Tegan was afraid that the thing... Soundwave, wouldn't answer. His worries were without foundation as a message began to appear.

 

_Get away from your window._

 

 _'What? Why would he...'_  Tegan jumped away as a dark, blurred object came through the window, landing on the floor with a crash as the boy fell to his front, hands over his head.

 

Several moments passed and the boy finally looked up at the dark object that lay on the ground, unmoving.

 

Slowly crawling towards the object, Tegan discovered his backpack... but he had left it when that robot had attacked him! It was...

 

Tegan scrambled to his feet and to his computer, typing quickly.  _Why are here. What do you want from me? Why did you warn me?_  He waited, holding his breath.

 

An answer quickly came.  _I must go now, Orion. But I have decided to warn you of the danger because I was once just like you. But now, I am strengthened by it, and I wish to do the same for you. Remember my warning. Stay away from the Autobots. We will meet again soon._

 

Tegan collapsed into his chair as one last sentence scrawled across the screen, sending chills down his spine.

 

 _We are not all that different, Orion Crodly_.

 

Tegan stared at the screen and could've sworn that something moved past his window, sending a blast of air through his room.

 

 _'What have I gotten myself into?'_  He asked silently.


	4. Evasion

Tegan sighed as he gathered up his books. He had gotten detention for not paying attention in class, and it had finally ended.

 

Standing, the boy slowly began to make his way from the history classroom, making his way, faster than usual, to his locker.

 

Tegan looked around. He felt like there were eggshells everywhere and he wasn't supposed to break any of them.

 

Ever since last night, when Soundwave had spoken to him, he had been on edge, dodging people in the halls and keeping an eye out for any vehicles that matched the strange robot's descriptions.

 

A hand on his shoulder caused Tegan to jump higher than he ever had before, scattering his books everywhere as he spun around, pressing his back to his locker.

 

Miko and Jack stood before him, only adding to his fear.

 

Tegan stared at them for several seconds as they looked back at him, and he slowly reached down, without taking his eyes off of them, and gathered up his books, dumping them into his locker before shutting it.

 

Staring at the two in front of him, who stared back with somewhat confused expressions, Tegan slowly began to move sideways before racing down the hall.

 

Looking back, Tegan could see the blurred forms of the other two teens stand still for a moment before they began to move after him. There was  _no way_  he was going to let them catch him!

 

Tegan raced from the school and glanced another look behind him, totally missing the car parked at the curb, crashing into it's side and bouncing off.

 

Tegan placed a hand to his head as he slowly looked up to find a large, green jeep sitting at the curb.

 

Scrabbling backwards, Tegan got to his feet and ran down the road.  _Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!_  The boy's mind raced with his fear-filled heart as he ran down the street, making a beeline in the general direction of his home.

 

Looking back, the boy saw the blurred form of a green jeep following slowly, the two teens still pursuing on foot.

 

Tegan turned a corner into an alley and looked around. It was a dead end.

 

Looking back in the direction he had come, Tegan knew that there was no way he was going to be able to get past them, so he looked around for somewhere to hide, eyes landing on a dumpster.

 

Tegan stared for a moment before shrugging. There wasn't much choice, and it wouldn't be entirely unpleasant... Vince had made him spend a lot of time in them before, so it wouldn't be that bad...

 

Tegan knew they were getting closer with every moment he contemplated what to do, and ran to the dumpster, climbing in and shutting the lid quietly.

 

Breathing laboured, Tegan placed a hand over his mouth as he listened, eyes wide with fear as he lay in the trash, the scent terrible, but not unbearable.

 

Listening in the darkness, Tegan waited. Because he couldn't hear what was going on, he wouldn't really know when it was safe to get out, so he would wait... wait longer than they would be able to, before leaving.

 

Any other time, the boy would've found the prospect of lying in the trash like a worthless, helpless creature hurtful and insulting, but at the moment, he welcomed it and waited silently.

 

Tegan checked his phone after a long while had passed and realized that a couple of hours had passed, but he remained still. He wouldn't chance climbing out to meet the... Autobots, Soundwave had called them, he believed.

 

Another hour passed before Tegan climbed from his smelly haven and into the darkness of night. His grandmother would be worried, but he would simply tell her he had stayed to get tutored.

 

Tegan landed lightly on his feet and began to trot down the alley when he felt as if someone was watching him. Looking up, something passed under a street light, and he thought he could make out a large bird as it passed through the light.

 

Relaxing, the boy began to make his way down the road, heading for the safety of his home a few blocks away.

 

Thinking over the day's happenings, Tegan shook his head.  _So I need to make sure that I don't get detention like Miko does. That only leaves me in the school alone... well, I'm always alone... just when there aren't people there..._

 

Tegan, having reached his home, carefully unlocked the door and opened it.  _Maybe Grandmum's asleep, and won't even know how late I was gone._

 

His hopes were dashed, however, when his grandmother appeared around a corner from the kitchen. His eyes immediately dropped to her lips as she began 

 

"Tegan!" His grandmother cried, tears in her eyes. "Where were you? I was so worried!"

 

Tegan began to answer her through sign language.

 

"Tutoring doesn't go this late, Tegan." His grandmother responded, sadness in her face.

 

Tegan knew that she was probably thinking he was protecting Vince and his cronies. He continued his answer, telling her that a teacher had stayed with him to help with an essay.

 

His grandmother paused. "Couldn't you have texted me? You know I got a phone so that you could tell me when these things happen."

 

Rolling his eyes, Tegan made the signs, saying that he did text her. He waited as she went to find her phone and came back.

 

"Alright. You did. I'm sorry, Tegan. I was just so worried."

 

Tegan smiled at her and gave her a hug, feeling comforted.

 

"Well, I'll heat up some dinner for you. Why don't you get showered?" His grandmother said, and he noticed her looking at him suspiciously.

 

Tegan made a sign that he had played with John again, and she understood what he was saying, shaking her head sadly.

 

He felt guilty. She thought that John was a boy that 'hung out' with him sometimes, and wasn't aware of the fact that there was no one that hung out with her grandson. Sure, she knew he was alone a lot of the time, and that many of the kids weren't at all nice to him, but she thought that John sometimes hung out with Tegan when he wasn't 'working' or had an 'appointment'. She didn't know he was a figment of Tegan's imagination.

 

Nodding at her and flashing a smile, Tegan all but ran up the staircase to his bedroom, shutting the door. He grabbed a change of clothes and was about to leave again when the computer flashed.

 

Tegan paused in the doorway, looking down the staircase before shutting and locking the door before making his way to the screen to where a message waited.

 

_Where are you._

 

Tegan sat down at the screen.  _I was hiding in a dumpster._

 

There was a pause.  _Why._

 

Tegan got a strange sensation that Soundwave  _knew_  why, but was deciding to ask him.  _Autobots._  He responded simply.  _Two humans._

 

An answer wasn't long in coming.  _Did they talk to you? Were the Autobot in car_

 

Thinking over the strangeness of the questions, Tegan quickly typed an answer. _The humans, Jack and Miko, tried to talk to me, but I ran. I ran into a green jeep, but it stayed a jeep._

 

As he waited, Tegan moved to the door and peeked out. His grandmother was nowhere to be seen, and he made his way back to the computer.

 

_How did you get away?_

 

Smirking to himself, Tegan shook his head.  _I hid in a dumpster. I just got back home about ten minutes ago._  He responded.

 

There was another lengthy pause. _There was no need to hide so long. Bulkhead doesn't have the patience._  Soundwave 

 

Rolling his eyes, Tegan tapped a response.  _I wasn't taking any chances. I couldn't hear when they left._

 

Soundwave responded instantly.  _That will change soon, Orion. And we will need to_

 

Shock and fear assaulted the boy as he hesitantly typed a response.  _I don't know how new you are to earth, or how much you know about humans, but being deaf is_ _permanent_ _. You can't fix it. And I'm not sure I want to meet another robot._  He waited nervously for a response. Would Soundwave get mad? Would he tease him?

 

_I have been on earth a short while, and researched your afflictions last night. As for changing your deafness and muteness, I changed mine. But you will need to meet me to change yours._

 

Shock and hope immediately filled Tegan as he slowly typed out an answer.  _You can fix me? My vision? Help me to speak?_ He asked.

 

There was a pause, and Tegan imagined the creature chuckling.  _You are hopeful._  Soundwave responded.  _Just know that your hope is not unfounded. I will meet you soon, through an ally._

 

Confused, Tegan responded quickly, hoping to catch the strange robot before he left.  _How will I know he's not with the Autobots?_  He asked.

 

Several minutes passed and the boy feared he may have missed Soundwave. He was about to turn off the screen when two images popped up. One was purple and looked like a strange symbol. Under it was written  _ally._  The second symbol was red and looked like a robotic face, underneath it was written  _Autobots._

 

Nodding carefully, Tegan stared at the images, lodging them away in his mind. There was information about where these emblems were placed on Cybertronians in car and 'bot' forms, so he read that to further reinforce it in his mind.

 

Satisfied, Tegan got up and turned off the console before going to the door and opening it. His grandmother stood there, a plate of food in her hands and worry in her eyes.

 

"Tegan!" She cried.

 

Tegan just stared up at her.

 

"What were you doing?" His grandmother asked. "You never lock your door! Are you OK? Do you need to be alone?" She asked, worry written all over her face.

 

Tegan took the plate from her hands and, using signs, told her that he wanted to be alone.

 

His grandmother looked at him for several minutes before sighing and nodding, embracing him before heading down the hall to her room.

 

Tegan closed his door and set the food on his desk before going and cracking open the door. Movement, which he assumed was his grandmother's bedroom door closing, signalled the ok for him to grab a change of clothes and go into the washroom.

 

While he showered, Tegan thought over the conversation he had had with Soundwave, hope still simmering within him at the thought of being able to speak, hear and see like a normal person. Hopefully Soundwave wasn't teasing him like so many other kids did... but, for some reason, he felt that Soundwave would never do that.

 

 _We are not all that different, Orion._  The words rang in his mind over and over again.  _'Then how are we similar?'_  He asked himself inwardly.


	5. Secret Meeting

_(A/N: The Car is a Vehicon.)_

 

Tegan felt something hit the back of his neck and he turned around, eyes alighting on Vince and his cronies at the back of the room, two of which had straws in their hands.

 

Annoyed and slightly afraid, Tegan turned away and hunched over his desk, waiting patiently for the bell to ring... not that he'd hear it. He'd know when the other kids got up.

 

Tegan cast a glance across the room towards the window, where Jack was sitting. The dark-haired boy smiled at him, but Tegan quickly turned away.  _What a faker._

 

Finally, all the other children got up and began gathering their books. Tegan, however, was ready, and had his books already stacked.

 

Grabbing up the pile of books, Tegan hurried for the door ahead of the other teens, glancing back to see Jack calling for him while trying to gather his books up at high speed.

 

Tegan, aware of the fact that Jack may try to catch him like he did the other night, bolted from the door and down the empty halls for the front of the school, crashing out the doors like an escaping convict.

 

Taking a quick glance around the parking lot, Tegan saw a yellow and black camero sitting alongside both the blue motorcycle and green jeep.

 

Swearing inwardly, the frightened boy ran as fast as he could down the sidewalk and down an alley, not daring to look back as he tripped over a garbage can, scattering his books.

 

Tegan looked back and saw the yellow and black camero stopped just outside the alley, unable to follow. That didn't stop the motorcycle, which followed him down.

 

Ignoring his scattered books, Tegan scrambled back to his feet and continued running when a purple car intercepted him, causing him to crash into the side... hard.

 

Bouncing back, Tegan landed on his back, hand to his head as he stared up at the car, whose door opened.

 

"Get in." A robotic voice ordered, and Tegan shook his head. "It's either me or the motorcycle." The voice responded, causing the human youth to look behind him at the motorcycle that was quickly closing the distance.

 

Afraid, Tegan got into the car, the door cutting him off from the outside world as rubber burned against the asphalt, shooting off just as the motorcycle passed through the place they had been only moments before.

 

Looking back at the strange motorcycle, Tegan finally turned his attention onto the driver.

 

Tegan stared. The driver was human, but didn't  _feel_  human. His thoughts were erased when the car swerved right, causing him to slide and hit the window with his head.

 

Rubbing vigorously, Tegan turned and stared again at the driver. He looked like an average human, but shimmered every few moments, reminding him of holographs. It's eyes didn't seem fixed, and he could only assume that it couldn't actually truly see.

 

 _'Is this Soundwave?'_  He wondered curiously.

 

The holograph didn't speak, just sitting in place as the car sped along, trying to lose it's pursuers.

 

Looking back over his shoulder, Tegan couldn't see them and turned to the holograph.  _'Who is he? What do the others want?'_  He wondered fearfully.

 

The yellow muscle car came out of a side alley, clipping theirs. If Tegan could've screamed, he would've. He just clenched his eyes shut and wrapped his arms around his head as he waited for the crash.

 

The holograph was able to recover, and Tegan opened his eyes to see the motorcycle coming directly at them. Inwardly swearing, the boy waited for the impact when the holograph turned left, allowing the smaller vehicle to crash into the side.

 

 _'What am I supposed to do? Is this Soundwave's ally?'_  Tegan looked around for the marking that Soundwave had shown him, eyes alighting on the small purple symbol crudely painted directly before him.

 

Relieved, Tegan allowed himself to relax, watching for any sign of the other vehicles.

 

Several moments passed as the holograph continued taking several different alleys to throw of whoever pursued before finally pulling up to a large warehouse.

 

Tegan sat silently, staring up at the large building. The holograph slowly disintegrated.

 

Frightened, Tegan slowly opened the car door and stepped out of the car, closing the door as silently as he could before turning around. His heart jumped into his throat when he noticed a human standing just within the darkness of the warehouse.

 

Standing still, Tegan stared at the human. He was tall, with black jeans, purple hoodie, black balaclava, and darkened glasses.

 

Tegan stared for several minutes before the other human motioned him with a finger and turned, disappearing into the darkness. But not before Tegan caught sight of the purple symbol on the back of his sweater.

 

Encouraged, but still nervous and afraid, Tegan slowly entered into the darkness of the warehouse, slowly following the other human, who had paused to wait for him to catch up.

 

 _'Who is he? Another holograph? No... He can't be.'_  Tegan's mind rushed with thoughts as he followed the human, who finally stopped and turned to him.

 

"Hello, Orion." The strange human spoke.

 

Tegan just stared. He couldn't read the lips of the human, and therefore didn't understand.

 

The other human shook his head and wrote his greeting on a sheet of paper before handing it to Tegan, who read it then looked up.

 

Taking a pencil from his pocket, Tegan slowly wrote his answer.  _Who are you._

 

The other human looked down at the paper, then up at him.  _I am Soundwave._ He responded.

 

Tegan stared at the human. Soundwave had said he was a Cybertronian... not a human. He wrote his thoughts down.

 

Soundwave looked up at him before answering.  _I stole a science project of Knockout's. It can change a Cybertronian into a human... or vice versa. It was incomplete, but I perfected it._  He responded.

 

Tegan slowly nodded, claiming understanding that he really didn't have. _But why are you here? Who are the Autobots?_  He asked.

 

Soundwave shook his head and answered with a quickly scribbled answer.  _All in time._

 

Dozens of questions crowding his mind, Tegan stifled them as he attempted to pay attention to the human... Cybertronian, before him.

 

The mysterious human that claimed to be Soundwave looked at him.  _I want to help you, Orion. But I'm going to need a blood sample and some measurements._  He wrote.

 

Tegan read and re-read the request as Soundwave waited patiently. This was all too absurd. Why would Soundwave need a blood sample to help him? And measurements? Measurements of what, even?

 

Looking up, Tegan stared at Soundwave.  _Why blood?_  He asked.

 

Shaking his hooded head, Soundwave looked up at him.  _If I wish to alter your... problems, I need to have something to study._  He responded.

 

Several long minutes passed, but, finally, Tegan nodded.  _Take whatever you need._  He responded.

 

Soundwave nodded once before taking Tegan's wrist.

 

Surprised by the action, Tegan attempted to pull away, Soundwave's iron grip keeping him from doing so. He looked up at the taller human, who just stared at him for several moments before rolling up the frightened youth's sleeve.

 

Tegan stopped his attempts at escape and just watched, fascinated, as Soundwave inserted a needle into his arm, causing him to flinch.

 

Soundwave looked up at the instinctive flinch, and paused for a moment before pulling blood from the young boy's arm.

 

Tegan remained silent as he watched the red liquid fill the small, glass cylinder.

 

 _'If they're so big... how'd he get a needle my size?'_  Tegan wondered.

 

Soundwave, as if reading his mind, looked up at him and explained, through sign language, that he had gotten some with his human form.

 

Tegan was surprised that an alien could speak sign language to him.

 

The tall human signed again, telling Tegan that he could download information from the internet into his processor.

 

 _'What's a processor?'_  Tegan asked, using sign language. Man, if he had known that the alien could do sign language, they wouldn't have needed to spend so much time writing their questions and answers.

 

 _'A brain.'_  Soundwave responded before calculating the boy's measurements, height, weight, width, length of arms, etc.

 

Tegan watched as Soundwave seemed to scan him, about to ask another question, when a large, black bird passed so close to his face, he could've sworn it's wing tip brushed his cheek.

 

Alarmed, the youth pulled his wrist from Soundwave's hand, backing away.

 

Soundwave only stared at him and held up his arm, allowing the bird to alight.

 

Tegan, fascinated, stared at the bird that resembled a huge eagle, only black. It's eyes were red, it's huge, glistening talons clasping it's master's arm, and it bent close to Soundwave, as if speaking to him.

 

Alarm rose in Tegan when Soundwave jerked around to look at the doorway in which they had both entered from before turning back to him, signing quickly.

 

 _'I must go, Orion.'_  He said, glancing again at the door.  _'I will explain everything in time, but the Autobots approach.'_

 

Fear clogging his soul, Tegan stared at Soundwave.  _'What do I do? When will you be able to fix me?'_  He asked.

 

Soundwave, who had been in the action of leaving through the back, turned back.  _'Soon, Orion. Do not worry, I will find a way to fix you, just as I fixed myself.'_

 

Tegan looked toward the door then back at Soundwave, who tossed a small object to him, the youth catching it clumsily. It was a small chip.

 

Tegan looked up from the chip to Soundwave, who motioned one last word before disappearing.  _'Run.'_


	6. Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still alive. Reluctantly lol.
> 
> Enjoy. Sorry it took so long.

Jack looked up at Optimus Prime, who was listening to what Bumblebee, Arcee and Bulkhead had to say about his classmate, Tegan.

 

"I just don't get it!" Bulkhead said. "He hit me once, when I was in vehicle form, and recoiled as if I was a dead body!"

 

"It's as if he knows who we are." Arcee agreed, looking up at her leader.

 

Jack looked up at Optimus. "He's even on eggshells around Miko and I. He's like... dead scared." He said, confused with Tegan's behaviour.

 

"Well..." Raf's voice was thoughtful. "It's not exactly easy to trust people after Vince bullies the crap out of you nearly every day."

 

Jack nodded. "Yeah, but he knows that I'm not out to get him."

 

"I don't know, Jack." Arcee said, looking at him. "Imagine being unable to hear or speak. People probably sneak up on him all the time just to scare him."

 

"And being unable to see doesn't help." Miko called from her place on the couch.

 

Optimus looked at them all as he considered all these suggestions. "Or. Someone has gotten to Tegan first."

 

Jack felt nervous fear in his heart as he looked up at the Autobot leader.

 

"That's what we think." Arcee stated, watching her leader in a feeble attempt to read his thoughts. "But the car that he had gotten into didn't have a decepticon symbol on it."

 

 _'And the driver was human.'_  Bumblebee beeped.  _'And didn't look like a Decepticon.'_

 

Jack nodded. "That's right. And it's not anyone I've seen around town. And I know like... everybody." He said.

 

"Could be the dude's dad." Miko suggested.

 

"That is possible." Ratchet called from his place at the consoles. "I didn't pick up any Decepticon life signals nearby when you were in pursuit either."

 

Shaking his head, Jack looked up at them. "No. Tegan never knew his father, and his mother died in a car crash." He thought for several minutes. "He lives with his grandmother."

 

"According to research on the internet, children without a father are more likely to get involved in criminal activity!" Ratchet called.

 

"Whoa. That was needless." Miko muttered from behind Jack, who rolled his eyes.

 

"What's that got to do with it, Ratchet?" Raf asked.

 

"Uhhh." Ratchet looked at them, then snorted and looked away.

 

Ever since Raf had been injured and nearly lost his life, Ratchet had been studying  _everything_  about humans.

 

"If the Decepticons have gotten to Tegan first. Then he will be in grave danger." Optimus looked at each one. "And we must do everything we can to get him. And bring him here."

 

Jack looked up at him as Arcee put a hand on her hip and looked at her leader. "And just how are we supposed to do that, with him running like a bot from a scraplet every time he sees us?"

 

Optimus looked down at Jack. "Through humans... or more, Agent Fowler." He responded.


End file.
